Paul D. Camp Community College announces the launch of its Practical Nursing program on the Hobbs Suffolk Campus.

“We received well over 100 applications for 20 available enrollment slots,” said Courtney Darden, RN, BSN, Lead faculty for the program. Candidates who successfully complete the program will receive a one-year certificate in Practical Nursing.

With support from the Birdsong Corporation, through the Suffolk Foundation, the College has created a Practical Nurse program on the Hobbs Suffolk Campus. George Birdsong, head of Birdsong Peanuts, a national peanut processing company based in Suffolk, is a leading supporter of research in healthcare issues for PDCCC. Funding is being used to renovate the Nursing Skills Lab on the Hobbs Suffolk Campus. However, classes got under way at the beginning of the summer semester on May 19, 2014.

“This program will allow the College to fill a need in the community for the students who will become Licensed Practical Nurses. LPNs who continue their education at the College can become Registered Nurses with just one more year of study. Both RNs and LPNs will find a cadre of ready employers in our region,” said College President Paul Wm. Conco, Ph.D. “This is a win-win partnership.”

Licensed practical nurses provide basic nursing care under the direction of registered nurses and doctors. They work in many settings, including nursing homes and extended care facilities, hospitals, physicians’ offices, and private homes. To become an LPN, students must complete a one-year state-approved educational program. After this step, they must pass a State Board of Nursing exam to receive a license before they can work as an LPN.

For more information on the PN program, call the Nursing Department on the Hobbs Suffolk Campus at 757.925.6315.